Dear Parents, Carers and Children

Website: www.stmarysmaltby.co.uk

Pantomime tickets are selling well. The rehearsals are extremely entertaining. The children have learnt their words, songs and dances with superb efficiency. The pantomime will be performed in the school hall from 6.30 pm next Wednesday and Thursday evening. Sweets, crisps and drinks will be on sale in the interval.

All money raised at the pantomime will be used to purchase a covered sandpit in the Foundation Stage playground and an extension to the trim trail.

Tickets are still available. If you wish to make a purchase please complete the form at the end of tonight’s School News and return it to the school office in an envelope with “Pantomime” and your child’s name written on the front. The tickets will be given to your child later in the week.

School closes for the half term holiday at 3.15 pm on Friday 9th February and re-opens at 8.55 am on Monday 19th February 2018.

Lent is the six week period prior to Easter during which time Christians try to make themselves into better people by fasting, praying more, giving to charitable causes and trying to strengthen their self-restraint by giving up something.. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday which this year falls in the half term holiday.

Each Tuesday in Lent all classes Y2-Y6 will attend the parish morning Mass (9.30 am) in St Mary Magdelene’s church on Morrell Street. We are grateful to Father Don for working with school personnel in this venture.

 Tuesday 20th February Y2 and Y6

 Tuesday 27th February Y3

 Tuesday 6th March Y4

 Tuesday 13th March Y5 If you do not want your child/ren to go to the 9.30 am Mass, please let school personnel know before the half term holiday.

If you would like to accompany your child’s class in the walk to and from church, please leave your name in the school office. This year our charitable giving will benefit Cancer Research and Shiloh (Rotherham). On Tuesday Mr McDonnell from Shiloh came into school to speak about their work in the area. Please ask your child/ren to tell you about his assembly. He was very impressed with the maturity and the vast array of questions the children posed.

02/02/2018 02/02/2018 Each Friday in Lent we will undertake a fun, fund-raising activity.

 Friday 23rd February Pyjama Day. Pay £1.00 for the privilege  Friday 2nd March Book Character Day – come dressed as your favourite character. Pay £1.00 for the privilege.  Friday 9th March Sponsored run / walk.  Friday 16th March Bring and Buy Sale (old toys, books, DVDs, jigsaws etc).  Friday 23rd March Logo Day – come dressed in the colours of either the Cancer Research logo (dark blue, light blue, purple, pink, grey) or Shiloh logo (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). Pay £1.00 for the privilege.  Thursday 19th April Easter Egg Raffle.

Holy Week will be celebrated in the last week of this term

 FS and KS1 children will re-enact the events of Palm Sunday in the school hall at 2.30 pm on Wednesday 28th March.  The Y6 children will take the lead at the Mass of the Last Supper in the school hall at 10.30 am on Thursday 29th March 2018.  Y3, Y4 and Y5 children will commemorate the Way of the Cross in the school hall at 1.30 pm on Thursday 29th March 2018.

The year the Easter holiday is a little different to previous years. We finish school at 2.30 pm on Thursday 29 th March and then school re-opens at 8.55 am on Thursday 12 th April. (A two-day week will hopefully prove to be an easy slide into the new term!).

The children will make their First Communion at the 11.00 am Mass on Sunday 6th May. The Preparation Programme has usually begun by this stage in the year. Unfortunately as there is no resident Parish Priest in Maltby the programme is yet to start, but hopefully we will soon be able to let you know of the dates. If you would like your child to be a part of this Preparation Programme please ask in the school office for a registration letter (This applies to any child in Y3 and above).

Thank you for your continued cooperation.

Yours sincerely

Catherine McLaughlin ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ..

I would like to purchase ……… tickets for the pantomime

Wednesday 7th February 2018 □ Thursday 8th February 2018 □

Name of child: ------

02/02/2018 I have enclosed £………. Signed …………………………………….

02/02/2018